Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello,
My father tested having 25 GFR. He has one kidney (his other kidney was removed due to cancer). From what I have read, this is an indication of going down the slope to dialysis (at 15 GFR). I am here to get information and support.
If anyone has any advice, I am all ears. 
Tomorrow, I will be speaking with his GP about his results and the options.
Thank you for your time and kindness,
Charlie
0 likes, 8 replies
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aliceq2 Charlie88
Posted
Hi Charlie88!
Sorry to hear about your dad's condition...but chin up both of you...with eGFR 25...there's still a relatively good chance of maintaining a healthy and hopefully long life with dialysis and a good eating habit.
My FIL(77yrs old) just passed last Friday after 5 months from being diagnoised with 7 eGFR due to years of diabetes and HBP. He refused dialysis and refused to watch his diet...going for diary, carbohydrates and sugar. And of course...he was a couch potato and controlling his fluid intake was a constant battle for my MIL. Anyway...he ballooned from his normal weight by 20kgs due to all the fluids not being able to be passed out. Sorry about the ranting...to cut it short...he reached the stage where his legs could not carry his weight and we had to put him in palliative care. Once there...due to agitation and restlessness...he was placed on a cocktail of painkillers, anti anxiety and something to ease his breathing...as the fluids were in his lungs as well....it was a down hill for him. He had another blood test there and eGFR was 4 with creatine >900...he was releaved from his ordeal 5 days after that blood test.
My point of sharing is...my FIL is one super stubborn character that relied only on meds for his conditions and refused dialysis could last 5 months....all the drs were preparing us that he'd lived days or weeks only when he was admitted in January...he surprised us by doing months.
Am sure...that after your discussion with your doctors...hopefully your dad is more mindful about maintaining a healthy diet, lifestyle along with dialysis...he should have a more positive outlook.
Good Luck and Take Care!
Charlie88 aliceq2
Posted
Alice,
Thank you for your encouragement. Honestly, I am not sure how my father will respond. Thus far, he has not followed doctor's orders in regards of eating right or exercising. I will cross my fingers and be there to support him. I have a feeling that he will enjoy dialysis. He does do well with weird, invasive treatments. Ultimately, he has to be the one to want to live a longer life. I am mostly worried about the time in between now and dialysis....how will he behave? How much worse will he feel before he can get relief?
Take care,
Charlie
aliceq2 Charlie88
Posted
Hi Charlie!
Actually...how did your father come about to eGFR being 25? Any illness prior this reading? My FIL's had been a steady deterioration with his diabetes.
It was only a matter of time before reaching Stage 5...just that we as patient's family were unaware of kidney diseases until he reached Stage 5...then i started all my online research. Pretty disappointing that the medical system did not raise any alarms when we routinely go for every 3months GP and Specialist appointment together with bloodworks. It was only when he really felt unwell and hardly eat for a week that we took him to the GP...decided to do a early blood test prior his next schedule which was about 1month more to go....the GP rang me up that night about 10pm and instructed me to bring him to the ER right away...then we realised that his eGFR was 7. So what I'm sharing with you is that your father still has very good chance...please tell him to cherish his life and time for his loved ones when he still can do something about it. Don't give up!!
Now i'm learning to read all bloodworks....so much that everytime wheni met with the palliative team drs...they would asked if I had any training in the medical field!! lol...
Bottom line is....always ask!! By asking you are learning and also putting the medical team on their toes!!
Good Luck & Take Care!
Charlie88 aliceq2
Posted
Hello Again Alice,
My father apparently had a GFR of 40 last spring. All of this is a surprise to me. I was unaware that he had CKD or about any of his levels or labs. He has a history of hardened arteries, angina, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and a few odds and ends (arthritis and such).
So, now I am looking everything up and realizing that right now, this is going to be the healthiest my father will be...forever, how ever long that is. Everything is just sinking in. My parents knew he had CKD for years...and never mentioned it or had a special diet or anything. I'm just ..taking it all in.
Charlie
aliceq2 Charlie88
Posted
awww....your father sounds like a survivor and a fighter!!! most important is that he is agreeable to the treatments and change in lifestyle. Definitely something that is not easy at all....habits are hard to break as well as hard to cultivate!
Yup...we all have to be vigilant about taking care of our healths and reading the reports in between all those figures!! lol....
Blessings to all of you and Good Luck!
alice
LynQ Charlie88
Posted
Hi Charlie,
My GFR has been at around 22-25% for quite a few years now so hopefully your father will have many more years yet.. An important thing is for your father to keep his blood pressure to around 130/80 even if he has to take medication as there is a link between deterioration and BP. Some BP medications are kidney protective.I take 3 types and have achieved a good BP. Also to make sure that he does not get anaemia which can happen at this stage of CKD. A full blood test will give haemoglobin levels and also ferritin (iron store) and transferrin saturation ( a measure of how much of the available iron in your boidy is being used). As kidneys decline, you stop making a protein that tells your bone marrow to make red blood cells and also sometimes you don't absorb dietary iron very well. Luckily, this is something that doctors can fix. I have 3 monthly vitamin B12 injections and daily folic acid, both of which you need along with iron, to make red blood cells. At first I took oral iron, but now have intravenous iron every so often and weekly injections of EPO I can do myself (which is the artificial version of the hormone your kidneys stop making. Your Dad may be OK as yet, but it is something the doctors will watch for. I am fine on this regime and can live a good quality of life except for being a little tired. I hope your father has many years ahead of him yet!
Charlie88 LynQ
Posted
It is so great that you are doing so very well.
My father does have anemia, but his blood pressure is very good. His creatine level is very high...that is what his doctor seems to be the most concerned about.
We will know more after he has an ultrasound.
Everything is sinking in...slowly.
Thank you for your response,
Charlie
LynQ Charlie88
Posted
Hi Charlie,
My GFR has been at around 22-25% for quite a few years now so hopefully your father will have many more years yet.. An important thing is for your father to keep his blood pressure to around 130/80 even if he has to take medication as there is a link between deterioration and BP. Some BP medications are kidney protective.I take 3 types and have achieved a good BP. Also to make sure that he does not get anaemia which can happen at this stage of CKD. A full blood test will give haemoglobin levels and also ferritin (iron store) and transferrin saturation ( a measure of how much of the available iron in your boidy is being used). As kidneys decline, you stop making a protein that tells your bone marrow to make red blood cells and also sometimes you don't absorb dietary iron very well. Luckily, this is something that doctors can fix. I have 3 monthly vitamin B12 injections and daily folic acid, both of which you need along with iron, to make red blood cells. At first I took oral iron, but now have intravenous iron every so often and weekly injections of EPO I can do myself (which is the artificial version of the hormone your kidneys stop making. Your Dad may be OK as yet, but it is something the doctors will watch for. I am fine on this regime and can live a good quality of life except for being a little tired. I hope your father has many years ahead of him yet!